Biography english

Folk-group "D r e v A"

Folk group “DrevA” was found in 1990 as a branch of the theatre “Perekriostok” and specialised in Russian folk and urban songs and music up to this time. Repertoire of the group is built on the materials of the expeditions in the different regions of Russia: Belgorod, Voronezh, Briansk regions and also in the Cossak stanitsas of Don and Kuban.

The group members learn the songs using expedition records and also in the direct contact with country singers and musicians. The folk group doesn’t use the songs from the note editions, the performance of the group is based on improvisation as it is usual in traditional country singing. The members of the group aspire to authentic manner of singing without some kinds of arrangement. The important part of this manner is keeping the nature sound of each singer voice.

The actors themselves take part in the expeditions, master the instruments, design and make costumes.

The songs of above-mentioned regions of Russia are marked differ from each other. The group masters the manners of singing of the few regions therefor it has the opportunity to make bright and interesting performances. For example, Bryansk tradition of singing is mainly female. This region is the place where the most old pagan songs are still kept. Belgorod tradition is mainly female too, but there exists archaic male wind-instrument, in Russian “caluka”. It is made from dry stalk and the sound of this pipe instrument remind of wind howl.

The Don and Kuban tradition of singing is the male as a rule. These songs are not so old as Southern and Western and singing is often accompanied by playing on Russian accordion, balalaika, guitar, drums, wheel-lyre, tambourine. The wonderful feature of Cossak songs is upper soaring treble voice. Repertoire of “Dreva” includes unique Cossak romances recorded in stanitsa Oust-Buzulook of Don region.

So far as the group includes both the women and the men, it can perform the songs of different traditions.

“Christmas” — open-air performance. From Christmas to Epiphany people went around the village and sing especial Christmas songs “coliadki”. Text of these songs contains praise to hosts and request to endow singers in order to make the coming year successful. Actors performed tradition Christmas amusement “Vertep” which was two-floor box with puppets for playing of the history of Jesus Christ birth and of cruel tzar Irod.

“Maslennitsa” — the seeing off of the winter and celebration of the life revival accompanied with burning down of the Maslennitsa scarecrow, the symbol of the cold, dark, death. During this celebration people baked pancakes (Solar symbol), had fun, said good-buy to the winter, went for a drive on troikas, ate a lot and drank a lot.